University of Technology, Sydney. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

en_US

dc.description.abstract

The study aims to produce an insight into how young children perceive environmental
sustainability and poses the research question: What perceptions of environmental
sustainability do primary school students, in their final years of primary education,
hold and express? Existing research (Phipps, 1991; Spork, 1992; Walker, 1995; Walker,
1997) indicates that the most significant work in environmental education in NSW is
being done at the primary school level. However, evidence relating to the research
question is limited. Therefore, it is important to gather and analyse data about
these perceptions of primary school students if we are to develop and implement
sustainability education curricula that best support the needs of students, is relevant
to primary school teaching and learning, and provides insight into appropriate
strategies for the professional development of teachers.
The study involves students in their final years of primary school education and
explores their perceptions of environmental sustainability. It provides insight into
how their perceptions are informed and how they may be best nurtured. The data are
gathered from primary school students in Years 4, 5 and 6 and their teachers in one
NSW primary school. Qualitative methods are used to collect data. These include
students responding to three differing types of stimulus material using an
open-ended questionnaire, focus group discussions, and individual interviews. The
data are gathered using methodology that is influenced by Grounded Theory and
analysed with reference to the existing literature.
The conclusions report that the students in the study most frequently express notions
of sustainability that are underpinned by homocentric views of sustainability;
proximate cause and effect scenarios; and, proposed actions based on sharing natural
resources fairly while maintaining the environmental balance and behaving responsibly.
Finally, an emerging framework of primary school students’ notions of environmental
sustainability is presented and discussed along with the implications for
sustainability curricula.

en_US

dc.format

Thesis (EdD)

en_US

dc.language.iso

en

en_US

dc.title

Perceptions of environmental sustainability held by students in a NSW primary school

The study aims to produce an insight into how young children perceive environmental
sustainability and poses the research question: What perceptions of environmental
sustainability do primary school students, in their final years of primary education,
hold and express? Existing research (Phipps, 1991; Spork, 1992; Walker, 1995; Walker,
1997) indicates that the most significant work in environmental education in NSW is
being done at the primary school level. However, evidence relating to the research
question is limited. Therefore, it is important to gather and analyse data about
these perceptions of primary school students if we are to develop and implement
sustainability education curricula that best support the needs of students, is relevant
to primary school teaching and learning, and provides insight into appropriate
strategies for the professional development of teachers.
The study involves students in their final years of primary school education and
explores their perceptions of environmental sustainability. It provides insight into
how their perceptions are informed and how they may be best nurtured. The data are
gathered from primary school students in Years 4, 5 and 6 and their teachers in one
NSW primary school. Qualitative methods are used to collect data. These include
students responding to three differing types of stimulus material using an
open-ended questionnaire, focus group discussions, and individual interviews. The
data are gathered using methodology that is influenced by Grounded Theory and
analysed with reference to the existing literature.
The conclusions report that the students in the study most frequently express notions
of sustainability that are underpinned by homocentric views of sustainability;
proximate cause and effect scenarios; and, proposed actions based on sharing natural
resources fairly while maintaining the environmental balance and behaving responsibly.
Finally, an emerging framework of primary school students’ notions of environmental
sustainability is presented and discussed along with the implications for
sustainability curricula.

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